Tag: history

Foods and Food Adulterants: Baking Powder Research from 1889

Foods and Food Adulterants: Baking Powder Research from 1889

I do lots of reading for all my pastry writing and I recently found a little gem, Foods and Food Adulterants on Baking Powders, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It goes into detail on the “investigation into the character and composition of baking powders.” 

Chess Pie – Cornmeal and Vinegar Southern Dessert

Chess Pie – Cornmeal and Vinegar Southern Dessert

Chess Pie Chess Pie is a classic Southern dessert custard pie made with eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, with some recipes containing either/both cornmeal and vinegar. Open up a dozen different community cookbooks and you’ll find that many different versions of Chess Pie, or more. The origin of 

Opera Cake

Opera Cake

Opéra Cake – courtesy Flickr User arnold | inuakithrough a Creative Commons License. To me, there is nothing more close-your-eyes decadent than an Opéra Cake, probably because I know what goes into it. It is sinfully rich and since it is typically served in small portions, the whole 

Galette des Rois – Twelfth Night Pastry Dessert Traditions

Galette des Rois – Twelfth Night Pastry Dessert Traditions

Traditional Galette des Rois – photo courtesy Flickr User Gael Chardon through a Creative Commons License. Twelfth Night is a celebration that marks the coming of Epiphany, and most Christians celebrate it on the 12th day after Christmas. Epiphany celebrates the divination of Christ, and 

St. Honoré – The Cake, The Saint, and The Pastry Tip

St. Honoré – The Cake, The Saint, and The Pastry Tip

The St. Honoré tip is by far the most requested of the specialty pastry tips I carry. It looks like a large plain tip with a v cut in the front. And if you have ever had this dessert, you would understand its elegant appeal. 

The True History of Chocolate by Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe

The True History of Chocolate by Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe

All true chocolate lovers know how chocolate is made. The basic flow begins with cacao beans which are cleaned and roasted. After winnowing, the cacao shells are separated from the nibs which are ground into the liquor. From this, either cocoa powder, cocoa butter, or 

Want to Know How Food Coloring Was Made Way Back Then?

Want to Know How Food Coloring Was Made Way Back Then?

Think flowers, think vegetables, think…bugs? On my Old School Pastry blog, I’ve found different recipes that were done by confectioner’s long before commercial food coloring was available to the masses. How to Make Yellow Food Coloring (Saffron) How to Make Green Food Coloring (Spinach) How 

Coffee People and Jim & Patty’s…a little history?

Coffee People and Jim & Patty’s…a little history?

Haven’t been to Portland in a long, long, long time, but a long, long, long time ago I used to love the Coffee People coffee. I know Diedrichs has it now and Coffee People coffee can still be purchasedhttp://www.coffeepeople.com/t-about.aspx but was it the name or